Building automation systems are comprehensive and distributed control and data collection systems for a variety of building automation functions within a building system. Such functions may include comfort systems (also known as heating, ventilation and air condition or HVAC systems), security systems, fire safety systems, as well as others. Building automation systems include various end points from which data is collected. Examples of such end points include temperature sensors, smoke sensors, and light sensors. Building automation systems further include elements that may be controlled, for example, heating coil valves, ventilation dampers, and sprinkler systems. Between the data collection end points and controlled elements are various control logic elements or processors that use the collected data to control the various elements to carry out the ends of providing a comfortable, safe and efficient building.
Building automation systems often employ one or more data networks to facilitate data communication between the various elements. These networks may include local area networks, wide area networks, and the like. Such networks allow for single point user access to many variables in the system, including collected end point data as well as command values for controlling elements. To this end, a supervisory computer having a graphical user interface is connected to one of the networks. The supervisory computer can then obtain selected data from elements on the system and provide commands to selected elements of the system. The graphical display allows for an intuitive representation of the elements of the system, thereby facilitating comprehension of system data. One commercially available building automation system that incorporates the above described elements is the Apogee system available from Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. of Buffalo Grove, Ill.
Increasingly, building automation systems have acquired more useful features to assist in the smooth operation of building systems. For example, in addition to controlling physical devices based on sensor readings to achieve a particular result, building automation systems increasingly are capable of providing trending data from sensors, alarm indications when thresholds are crossed, and other elements that directly or indirectly contribute to improved building system services.
Nonetheless, most building automation systems have limited ability to associate sensor values with other building system components or general building attributes. Advanced systems allow graphic representations of portions of the building to be generated, and for multiple sensor and/or actuator points to be associated with that graphic representation. By way of example, the Insight™ Workstation, also available from Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. is capable of complex graphical representations of rooms or large devices of the building system. While systems with such graphics provide at least some integrated visible representation of portions of the building automation system, the ability to use such data is limited.
Moreover, in addition to building automation system components, a building contains hundreds of other devices that also need to be managed for proper operation, maintenance, and service. Such devices may include, by way of example, light fixtures and/or ballasts, photocopiers or reproduction devices, vending machines, coffee machines, water fountains, plumbing fixtures, furniture, machines, doors and other similar elements. A specialized building such as laboratory facility for research may contain even more devices that need to managed, in the form of specialized laboratory equipment. Examples of such equipment will include autoclaves, deep freezers, incubators, bio-safety cabinets, oven etc.
Any of the foregoing devices may be considered to be a part of a building system. These building components, however, are not normally integrated into an extensive building-wide communication infrastructure. Attempts to obtain data from each specific device using a dedicated communication channel can thus be extremely cost-prohibitive and technically challenging considering the wiring needs. While these autonomous, non-communicative building devices may not have the same need for extensive building-wide communication as, for example, a heating system or security alarm system, the operations of such devices are often vital to the provision of a safe, productive and positive environment.
For many building infrastructure devices, such as light fixtures, doors, windows and plumbing, the responsibility for ensuring their proper operation is through a building maintenance services organization. For other building devices, such as vending machines, specialized laboratory or office equipment, the responsibility for ensuring their proper operation is often through specialized service providers. Each of these service organizations operate on a schedule. Thus, in the event of a component failure or malfunction, an appropriate representative may or may not be available to attend to the component.
One issue associated with various building system components is thus the elapsed time between discovery of a malfunction, communication of the malfunction to the appropriate service provider, and the response time of the provider. Such elapsed time may have dangerous and costly consequences. Even in the event the malfunction is not dangerous or costly, however, a poorly maintained building is not conducive to productive and satisfied occupants. Moreover, even an individual that is familiar with a particular system may find it difficult to accurately communicate the nature of a problem to a remotely located expert.
Another issue that arises is the loss of information on specific components over the lifetime of the component. Typically, a large amount of data is generated at the various stages of a component life-cycle. For example, design data is available in support of the procurement of the components. Commissioning data then reveals the true performance of the components in such terms as capacity and efficiency. This data may be used for a variety of purposes in later stages of the component life-cycle. By way of example, trending data on the efficiency of a motor may indicate the need for an overhaul or replacement prior to failure of the motor. The usefulness of such data, however, is dependent upon the availability of the data. Too frequently, historical data is either misplaced or available in a form that is not convenient. This problem is exacerbated when different organizations sell, install, and maintain the components since the data may not be passed from one organization to the next organization.
Even when the data is maintained within a central location, however, a technician working on at the site of a problem is frequently confronted with additional needs for information about the system. The technician must therefore return to the central location to obtain the additional information or attempt to contact an individual at the data repository and communicate the information requirement to the other individual.
Accordingly, there is a need for a more comprehensive manner in representing various types of data related to a building system. Such manner of representation could facilitate the development of significant new automated services. Such manner of representation could preferably facilitate access to the data by remote devices.